


Dragon Ball Super: Twilight of Gods (Book 3: Champa)

by Chronos_X



Series: Dragon Ball Super: Twilight of Gods I (2019-) [4]
Category: Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Super, Dragon Ball Z
Genre: Abusive Father, Abusive Mother, Abusive Parents, Betrayal, Bullying, Cain and Abel Relationship, Champa grows a pair, Champa has serious issues, Child Assassin, Chronos_X, Depression, Developing Relationship, Dragon Ball Super: Twilight of Gods, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Father-Son Relationship, Former assassin, God Turned Mortal, Guilt, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Loneliness, M/M, Mortality, Multi, Precocious Child, Psychological Torture, Psychological Trauma, Psychological Warfare, References to Depression, Remorse, Responsibility, Shame, Spies, Suicide, Torture, Treason, Twilight of Gods, Zen-Oh makes terrible decisions, coming to terms, man-child, obesity
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:55:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26829232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chronos_X/pseuds/Chronos_X
Summary: As banished ancient deities invade the Multiverse, God of Destruction Champa of Universe 6 finds himself deposed by Grand Zen-Oh, stripped of his powers and godhood, and exiled for life to Planet Earth of Universe 7 along with his twin brother Beerus.  Without Vados by his side, Champa must cope with the diseases that almost killed him as a child and nearly compelled his parents to disown him in favor of his twin, whom Champa blames for his own shortcomings and lot in life.Champa begrudgingly trains under Vegeta, yet the feline's self-destructive tendencies and unresolved issues soon land him into trouble.  Perhaps it might take a night of drunken stupidity and its aftermath for Champa to see himself for what he is, reconcile with his brother, confront their traumatic family histories, save his fellow Destroyers, and become a far greater man than the god he once was.This fic occurs simultaneously with Twilight of Gods I, Books 1, 2, 4 and 5.
Relationships: Beerus & Champa (Dragon Ball), Champa (Dragon Ball)/Original Character(s)
Series: Dragon Ball Super: Twilight of Gods I (2019-) [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1466320
Kudos: 4





	1. Subject C

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer:
> 
> Unless otherwise stated, all characters, stories, plot elements and related aspects belong to me. All migrant OCs, designs and backstories belong to their respective creators. Used with permission.
> 
> Negroni belongs to lssj2 (www.deviantart.com/lssj2)
> 
> Lord Mate belongs to Mate397 (www.deviantart.com/mate397)
> 
> Android 21/Good Boi Cell, Good Guy Raditz, Good Guy Nappa, Ranch, Daikon, Mooli, and all related characters/events/story arcs belong to  
> Masako-kun (www.deviantart.com/masako-kun)
> 
> Special redesigns for Beerus, Jiren et al. belong to Geofffffff (www.deviantart.com/geofffffff)
> 
> Yabrel, Richi, Osore, backstories/post-ToP designs for Shosa, Majora, and Trio of Danger belong to 6SpiritKings (www.deviantart.com/6spiritkings / www.furaffinity.net/user/6spiritking)
> 
> Anise, Fennel, Cumin and other OCs belong to Chronos-X, AKA Yours Truly (www.deviantart.com/chronos-x)
> 
> Rated Teen and up. Deals with depression, child abuse, trauma, suicide, torture, rape (physical and psychological) and other prickly subjects relevant to the plot. Expect plenty of curse words of varying gravity, certainly lots of fighting and violence (it's Dragon Ball, after all). Reader discretion is advised.
> 
> (Note: Will post a TRIGGER WARNING at the start of certain chapters).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> God of Destruction Champa of Universe 6 finds himself brought down to mortality and exiled to Universe 7. The greatest adventure of his life is well underway...

Dragon Ball Super: Twilight of Gods, by Chronos-X

Saga I: **On Mortality and Consequences**

Book Three: **Champa**

Chapter 1: Subject C

God of Destruction Champa had it made. Hands-off approach to leadership notwithstanding, the Hakaishin assigned to Universe 6 had absolute power and authority in all aspects of life, death, and pretty much everything in-between. 

Hell, Lord Champa didn’t even need to do his job. Vados, his Guide Angel and martial arts teacher, was more than happy to step in and blow up the occasional planet or two from time to time. Immortality tends to become rather boring after a couple of eons, so a god could be forgiven for goofing off every now and then… right?

Whenever the portly Sphygian wasn’t sleeping, he was eating. Whenever he wasn’t eating, he was off seducing someone’s wife, mother, daughter, sister, niece, etc. Whenever he wasn’t doing any of those things, he was out for a swim, getting a massage from Vados, keeping himself entertained any way he could. 

Visiting his twin brother Beerus’s Universe 7 and ~~arguing~~ ~~quibbling~~ ~~bitching~~ competing over who had brought the rarest, tastiest food that century was the highlight of Champa’s life. Any other Attendant would’ve scoffed in utter disbelief if the Destroyer under their care so much as entertained the thought of indulging in such childishness, but Vados and her brother Whis not only allowed it: they encouraged it. 

Sure, it was nothing short of embarrassing to have two fully grown immortals, and Destroyers at that, argue eon after eon like they were still a couple of brats, yet even that was better than letting them beat the ever-loving crap out of each other, obliterating several galaxies, planets, and whatnot in the process. If nothing else, these petty contests prevented the already abysmally low mortal levels of Universes 6 and 7 from plummeting further downward, an eventuality that would certainly attract the attention of Zen-Oh All-Sovereign and his cronies, not the good kind, to say the least. Oh well. If Vados and Whis could keep their respective charges in check _and_ indulge their shared fondness for exquisite dishes, there could possibly be no downside… right?

Though later rather than sooner, Champa and Beerus’s admirable dedication to their universes came back to bite them. If the Omni-King’s guidelines were to be believed, Universe 6 barely occupied the tenth (or was it eleventh?) lowest rank when it came to mortal level, barely surpassed by Universe 7, though it still excelled over that cosmic crapfest that was Universe 9, for all the good that did. 

To make matters worse, Zen-Oh had become a little too chummy with Son Goku, a dumbass Saiyan from Beerus’ pathetic excuse for a universe. Monkey boy had a brilliant idea. Rather than erase them outright, the King of All and his flunkies would hold a Multiverse-wide martial arts Tournament of Power, one in which the lower ranking universes were ~~forced~~ ~~obligated~~ ~~threatened~~ ~~extorted~~ compelled to pit their strongest warriors against one another. In addition to being allowed to remain in existence, the winning universe and its champion would be granted a once-in-a-trillion-lifetimes opportunity: a wish from the Super Dragon Balls. The losers, on the other hand, would be erased on the spot. 

Lord Champa’s ~~weak~~ ~~pathetic~~ ~~useless~~ ~~worthless~~ ~~pitiful~~ brave warriors won a few battles, but lost the war. Hail and farewell, Universe 6… or so it seemed. Universe 7 not only won the damn contest: their champion, one Android 17, used his wish to “restore all the universes that were erased,” as Vados told her charge, which meant that the rotund feline and his fighters wouldn’t be spending eternity in nonexistence. 

Champa was as glad as the next guy, of course, but couldn’t help but grumble to himself. Beerus, that filthy, rotten brother of his, had beaten him not once, but _twice_! The first time was during the so-called Tournament of Destroyers, when both deities matched warriors to decide who would claim all seven Super Dragon Balls and U7’s Earth for himself. To pour still more salt on the wound, the catty bean pole used _his_ wish to bring U6’s Earth back from extinction _and_ advance its civilizations so that his twin could sample Earth cuisine whenever he wished. 

The unmitigated nerve! Surely Lord Champa wouldn’t take this lying down… or maybe he would, seeing how he was lying on a table, naked save for a towel over his waist, chuckling, having the time of his immortal life as Vados massaged his back with fragrant oils.

“I’m tellin’ you, he’ll never see it coming! I’m gonna challenge Beerus to a dual universe ping pong-slash-soccer tournament, with yours truly as referee, of course. Gotta keep an eye out for cheaters, after all.”

( _Vados smiles slyly_ ). “I absolutely agree, Lord Champa. We wouldn’t want another Frost to drag our universe’s good name further down the mud.”

“Funny you should mention Frost. As I recall, _you_ were the one who recommended him! How was I supposed to know he was overlord of a universe-wide empire!?”

“That would've been easy enough, my Lord, had you bothered to do your job for a change.”

( _Champa snickers_ ). “Getting snippy, are we? Whatever. I’ll settle things with that damn Icejin soon as I find ‘im. In the meantime, I’ll make Beerus an offer he won’t refuse.”

“You’re going to challenge him to a children’s card game?”

“The hell’re you talking about?”

“You’re going to buy two motorcycles, and then challenge him to a children’s card game?” ( _Champa stares in visible confusion_ ). “Wait, wait, don’t tell me… you’re going to travel with him to cyberspace, and _then_ challenge him to a children’s card game?”

( _Deadpan Champa is…_ ). “Not even close.” 

“Virtual reality?”

( _Annoyed Champa is…_ ). “No! No card or board games, either. I’ve always hated those.”

( _Vados giggles_ ). “All too true, dear Lanson. Oh, the days when Okocim would utterly trounce you and send you on a blind rage!” ( _Laughs_ ).

An outraged Champa rose to his full height in a huff, forgetting he only had that one towel to shield him from impertinent eyes. The towel slipped off, revealing the ~~fatass~~ ~~fatty~~ ~~butterball~~ ~~hunk of lard~~ Hakaishin in all his bulging glory, prompting the shamefaced Champa to scramble for cover as a blushing Vados looked away.

( _Champa puts the towel back on_ ). “His name is _Lord_ Beerus! And _my_ name is _Lord_ Champa! Do I make myself clear!?”

“Apologies, my Lord. I got caught up on my trip down memory lane. I was thinking about—.”

“About what?”

“Nothing to trouble yourself with, Lord Cha—.” 

At that moment, Vados’s Attendant staff began to pulsate loudly. It took the Angel all of five seconds to figure out her next move.

“Excuse me, Lord Champa, but Whis is on the line. I’ll have to take this somewhere else.”

Smiling kindly for a change, the Destroyer from the Universe of Challengers sat on the table with his legs crossed.

“You can answer here, Vados. Whis is practically family. It’s his student I can’t stand.”

“Are you sure? Even if said student happens to be there too?”

Champa scowled. The Angel had a point. It wouldn’t do at all for Beerus to see him like this.

“Fine. Don’t take too long, though.” ( _Smiles cheekily_ ). “My back’s still in need of your lovely hands.”

“Of course, Sir.”

Vados stepped outside into a hallway, moved away from the door behind her. Having made sure she wouldn’t be seen or heard, the Attendant spoke _sotto voce_.

“(Vados here. What is it, Whis?).”

( _Whis also speaks sotto voce_ ). “(Change of plans. Grand Zen-Oh has moved your part of the operation to right here, right now).”

“(Any changes in procedure?).”

“(None to disclose).”

“(Understood. Vados out)." ( _Sighs_ ). "[ _So the Omni-King decided to run ahead of schedule. The situation must be dire, indeed_ ].”

With that, Vados reentered Champa’s quarters.

“Well, that was quick. Since when does your brother call just to say hi?”

“About as frequently as you call yours. Now, Whis was kind enough to inform me he’s waiting outside in the main hall with—.”

“What!? How did Whis and Beerus enter Universe 6 without me knowing it!?”

“I took the liberty of letting them in. After all, Whis is practically...”

“Don’t change the subject!” ( _Stares squarely into Vados’ eyes_ ). “I’ve warned you about this way too many times, Vados! You can’t just go behind my back and invite people into _my_ universe! _I’m_ God of Destruction here, not you!”

“[ _Oh, so **now** you’re God of Destruction, you self-important hunk of_…]. Can’t we talk about this later, Sir? You don’t want to keep your friends waiting, do you?”

“What friends?”

“Ones whose encounter with you has been a long time coming.”

“Thanks for nothing. If I wanted vague answers to stupid questions, I would’ve asked Magetta why the chicken crossed the road or something... if I could find him, that is. More to the point, though... I still have friends?”

( _Vados shrugs_ ). “I was as surprised as you, Lord Champa. There’s somebody out there whose wife-slash-daughter-slash-niece, etc., you _haven’t_ bedded yet? Either Universe 6 is a lot bigger than I thought, or you’re losing your touch.”

“Don’t get smart with me. Go tell my… friends I’ll see them in a moment. Just give me a minute to get ready.”

( _Vados bows_ ). “As you wish, my Lord.”

After the Guide Angel had gone, Champa took a quick shower, donned his Destroyer garb, and headed to the main hall of his mansion, where Vados and company awaited. The Destroyer’s stern expression gave way to surprise, then terror, when he laid eyes upon his “friends.”

“G-G-G-Grand Zen-Oh! W-Whis! C-Cognac! G-Greetings and s-salutations, A-August Ones!”

A panicking Champa tripped and fell all over himself while trying to bow, doing his utmost to remain in the good graces of the ~~Divine Brat~~ ~~Blue Thumbtack~~ ~~Overrated Pincushion~~ All-Universal Benefactor.

( _Zen-Oh grins maliciously_ ). “Greetings, Champa. This meeting has long been forthcoming.”

“F-Forthcoming?” ( _To Vados, sotto voce_ ). "(I thought you said these were friends of mine!)."

“I lied.”

“WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?”

( _Zen-Oh speaks solemnly_ ). “Stand and face me, Lord Champa.” 

Glistening with sweat, the Hakaishin hastily complied, his mind running all over the place.

“God of Destruction Lord Champa VIII, son of Afsnath, of House Marnier, do you know why we’re here tonight?”

“I-I’m afraid n-not, S-Sir.”

“You _should_ be afraid. For over a thousand years, you have been derelict in the fulfillment of your duties as Destroyer of Universe 6, so much, in fact, even that good-for-nothing brother of yours did a better job with _his_ universe. Vados here has done nearly all the destroying in this universe since your ascension. She alone has caused U6’s mortal level to drop to its lowest in all of its history. The only reason she’s not being tried is because she did so under _your_ allowance. Isn’t that right, Attendant Vados?”

A deeply wounded Vados cried crocodile tears. The Guide Angel gesticulated melodramatically as she pretended to wash her hands.

“It’s true, Sir. Lord Champa has burdened me with deciding which lives should be spared and which should be destroyed. Oh, the guilt, the agony! _Here’s the smell of the blood still; all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh, oh, oh_![1]”

( _Unimpressed Zen-Oh is…_ ). “Don’t push it.”

( _A deadpan Whis yawns_ ). “That performance was so ham-fisted, our audience might as well be making toast.”

( _Vados scoffs_ ). “Everybody’s a critic.”

( _Zen-Oh floats towards Champa_ ). “Not only that, you’ve made it a point to indulge your baser appetites, so much, in fact, it’s preventing you from fulfilling your sworn duty…” ( _Disdainfully pokes at Champa’s belly_ ). “…as shown by this tub of goo which passes for a body.” ( _The King of All backs away_ ). “Afsnath XXIX, daughter of Desclan. Tusker XXXV, son of Lager. The two strongest descendants of Houses Marnier and Artois in recent history, probably the best Destroyers Universes 6 and 7 have had in over four eons, easily among the greatest Sphygians in recent Multiverse history…” ( _Points at Champa_ ). “ _This_ is their legacy. A spoiled jerkass who’d rather waste whole centuries eating and fucking than do anything useful with his life, and an anorexic douche who’d sleep till the end of time if he had his way.” ( _Snorts contemptuously_ ). “All because Lech and Brulle didn’t take my advice. Such a damn shame…” 

( _A bemused Cognac steps forward_ ). “Sir, please…”

“What is it, Attendant Cognac?”

“We shouldn’t linger here. There are other matters that require our attention elsewhere.” 

Zen-Oh nodded. Champa took a chance.

“P-P-Please, Y-Your Eminence! I-I’ll repent! I’ll c-c-change my ways! I-I-I’ll apologize to all the women I’ve ever slept with! I’ll even visit my bast—children and pay so they can go to law school! D-Don’t erase me!”

( _Wry Zen-Oh is…_ ). “Erase you? Now why would I do that?”

“Huh?”

“Doing such a thing would entail giving you more time and consideration than you deserve, tubby. Killing you is also out of the question, so I’ll do _this_ instead…”

As if on cue, Vados, Whis, and Cognac left the room. Once they were gone, Zen-Oh took a deep breath and let the feline have it.

“GOD OF DESTRUCTION CHAMPA, FOR YOUR CRIMES OF MALFEASANCE IN OFFICE, CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT PLANETARY GRAND THEFT, HARASSMENT OF MORTALS, NEGLIGENCE, BEING A HIDEOUS, OVERWEIGHT, UNSIGHTLY, SLIGHTLY LESS ANNOYING TOADY THAN YOUR BROTHER, AND WEARING RED AFTER LEIF ERIKSON DAY, I HEREBY JUDGE YOU AND FIND YOU… GUILTY! 

MY SENTENCE SHALL BE AS FOLLOWS: HENCEFORTH, YOU ARE STRIPPED OF YOUR TITLE, DIVINITY, AND ALL ATTENDANT RIGHTS AND DUTIES! YOUR GODLY POWER SHALL SLUMBER IN THE REALMS BEYOND UNTIL YOUR SUCCESSOR IS APPOINTED! AFTERWARDS, YOU SHALL BE REMITTED TO PLANET EARTH OF THE SEVENTH UNIVERSE, WHERE YOU SHALL REMAIN IN EXILE FOR THE REMAINDER OF YOUR NATURAL LIFE AND BEYOND! I, ZEN-OH ALL-SOVEREIGN, HAVE SPOKEN!” 

At that moment, the Omni-King conjured a sphere of silver energy, which swirled around Champa and devoured him before he could even react. Screaming and thrashing within a shimmering whirlwind, the Hakaishin watched as all the God ki and Energy of Destruction was ripped from his body, then settled in Zen-Oh's hand in the form of a ball as the tornado vanished. Once he transformed the energies into a beam and sent it flying to parts unknown, the King of All nearly laughed as their previous owner collapsed on his knees, aching and moaning all over.

“Wasn’t that fun… Lanson?”

The newly deposed deity staggered back up, only to fall again. He was coughing, gesticulating frantically, as if trying to speak, by the time Vados took a peek from inside a nearby hall.

“H-H-H-Help…”

( _Zen-Oh smiles wickedly_ ). “What’s the matter, fatty? Lost your tongue _and_ your spine?”

“P-P-Please…”

( _Zen-Oh cups his ear_ ). “Pardon?”

The Sphygian started to cough and gasp raucously, his arms extended towards a distressed Vados as she emerged from her hiding spot.

“LANSON!”

Flying by now, the Angel shot an energy ray from her staff, surrounding Champa with a silvery aura. The fallen god took slower, deeper breaths, till at last he was at ease.

For his part, Zen-Oh stared in utter perplexity. Whis and Cognac had also returned by that time. The servant of the dreaded Beerus seemed alarmed himself, yet his U4 counterpart looked on with clinical detachment bordering on ennui.

( _Vados calms down_ ). “That was close. A little later, and… my apologies, Your Eminence. I forgot about that pesky condition of his.” 

“Condition?”

( _Deadpan Cognac is…_ ). “Asthma. Quite common throughout the Multiverse, really.”

Though visibly angered, Zen-Oh retained his composure. Turning to the ex-Hakaishin, the Omni-King snapped his fingers, turning Champa’s neck stole, the sash around his waist, arm rings, bangles, and earring into pure light, which he then tucked away within a silken pouch he’d materialized for such a purpose.

Shaking and shivering, his flesh growing strangely cold, Champa ventured a tearful look.

“S-S-S-S-Sir, p-p-p-p-p-please! D-D-D-Don’t d-d-d-d-do t-t-this t-t-t-t-t-t-to m-m-m-m-me!”

( _Zen-Oh crosses his arms against his chest_ ). “See you around, mortal. Oh, and one more thing: say hi to Beerus and Quitela for me.”

With that, Zen-Oh snapped his fingers a second time, conjuring a dimensional boom tube that swallowed the horrified Sphygian. His voice muffled by roaring hurricane, Champa vainly called for Vados even as every adjacent object that wasn’t nailed down tore itself apart. Afterward, the Omni-King turned toward the Guide Angel with a sour expression.

“Seriously!? You knew Cham—Subject C had this and it slipped your mind to tell us!?”

( _Sad Vados is…_ ). “I did not take it into consideration, Sir. Again, I apologize for my negligence.”

( _Zen-Oh facepalms hard_ ). “You did not take it into… we could’ve _killed_ him, woman! Do you have any idea how difficult it would be to find a suitable replacement this late into the game!?”

( _Whis steps forward_ ). “Your Eminence, if I may, Vados not only regrets her mistake: she promptly remedied it by creating that aura around Subject C.” ( _To Vados_ ). “By the way, how long will it last?”

“It’s hard to say. Two or three Earth hours, at most.”

( _Wary Zen-Oh is…_ ). “Which Earth?” ( _Shakes his head_ ). “Never mind. Fortunately, I sent him to a public location in Universe 7. Nothing like being surrounded by friends and family when you’re sick.”

( _Bored Cognac is…_ ). “In that case, our mission was a success. Shall we proceed, Sir?”

“Come along, Vados. We have a green man to prune.” 

( _Pensive Whis is…_ ). “Hold on a moment, Sir. I just remembered. Recent events have severely altered the flow of energy throughout the universes. Given such an occurrence, it’s quite possible the aura Vados created around Cha—Subject C will dissipate sooner than expected. We also failed to factor in the different time zones of Universes 6 and 7.”

( _Zen-Oh sweats ice_ ). “Oh dear. Better safe than sorry.” ( _Materializes a walkie-talkie_ ). “Zen-Oh here. Alert Agents V and B. Subject C heading to U7. Destination: Planet Earth, Downtown West City. Estimated time of arrival: 3:45 PM. Have emergency hovercraft and respirators ready. Over and out.” ( _Puffs away the walkie-talkie_ ). “Let’s go.” 

With that, the group departed Universe 6 in a column of light…

_Meanwhile…_

Champa screamed, stumbled, fell as the wormhole spirited him away from Universe 6. His heartbeat all over the place, the Sphygian all but swam under a deluge of voices, visages he hadn’t seen for several centuries. Even the likes of Hit, Frost, Magetta, Cabba, Botamo, Caulifla, Kale, Rota, Pirina and Saonel popped up, those weak, pathetic failures who humiliated him at the Tournament of Power. They overstayed their welcome till the feline landed in an alleyway of sorts.

Still in a daze, the coughing Champa slowly but steadily got back on his feet. Countless fumes and stinks assaulted his nose. It was sweltering hot. Where the hell was he, anyway? 

“P-P-Planet E-E-E-E-Earth, Un-n-n-iverse 7…” ( _Swallows hard_ ). “I’m in… I-I’m in B-B-Beerus’ t-t-t-turf!”

Champa willed himself to fly. Nothing happened. He tried again. Still nothing. One more time, Nothing still. The Sphygian shut his eyes. He could no longer detect the ki of others, let alone manipulate his own. 

What was he to do? Champa and his twin weren’t on friendly terms. Hell, how would he even reach him? Vados was the one who handled that little detail, and _she_ was nowhere to be seen. Worse still, the silver aura she'd gifted him would eventually wear off, leaving Lanson at the mercy of the elements, to say nothing of his condition. 

"N-N-No! I-I-I-I-It c-c-c-c-an't end-d-d-d l-l-l-like this! I-I'm C-C-Champa, s-s-s-s-s-s-son o-o-of A-A-A-Afsnath! I-I-I d-d-don't d-deserve t-t-to d-die a-a-all a-a-a-a-a-alone i-in s-s-some g-g-g-gutter!" ( _Realizes something_ ). "A-A-Alone… I-I’m a-all alone… I… I’m gonna—.”

“Goddammit, would ya shut the fuck up already!?[2]”

“W-Who s-s-said that!?”

Champa frantically looked around. His eyes rested on a dark-skinned human in slovenly dress, who smelt of stale beer and vomit. His countenance exhibiting some four or five swipe scars, the vagrant scratched his flaky Afro-textured hair, wiped his tired eyes as he rose to his full height, some seven feet tall, give or take a couple of inches.

Lanson couldn’t help but stare. Disheveled, sickly state notwithstanding, this man had a stalwart, almost warrior-like built. It would’ve been risky, if not suicidal, to antagonize him. Champa braced himself. His next words could make all the difference between life and death.

“The fuck do you want, cat? You gonna scratch me again?” 

“W-W-What d-do y-y-you m-mean, M-M-Mister? I-I-I h-h-haven’t s-seen y-you b-b-b-b-before i-in m-m-my l-life…”

The homeless man squinted, took a closer look at the feline in front of him.

“You ain’t him. You’re not the guy who… never mind.”

The tramp dropped back down to the floor. Lanson’s eye caught a key detail.

“E-E-Excuse m-me… w-where d-d-did y-you get-t-t those s-s-shoes?”

“These old things that don’t even fit right? I ‘spose there ain’t no harm in tellin’ you. I... borrowed ‘em from a real scrawny cat I bumped into the other day. Fucking asshole. Scratched me just like that. Didn’t attack him or nothin’. Can you believe that?” 

“[ _Scrawny asshole cat!?_ ]. That c-c-cat, d-d-did h-he h-h-have p-purple f-f-fur, b-by a-any c-c-chance?”

“Now that you mention it… yeah. Wasn’t all that diff’rent from yours, either. You know ‘im?”

Lanson gathered his thoughts. Those shoes seemed to be just about Beerus’s size. However, even if this guy had seen his twin, the odds he’d know his whereabouts were a quintillion to negative zero. Still, this was Champa’s best lead so far, so he took a deep breath, summoned all the bitterness and resentment he could muster.

“B-B-Bastard g-g-got m-my little s-s-s-s-sis pregnant and bailed on her. I f-f-fought w-w-with him, h-h-he knoc-c-cked me out c-cold, s-s-stole the s-shirt o-off m-my b-back.”

“So he’s an asshole, a deadbeat dad, _and_ he steals shirts from his girlfriend’s brother. Just when I thought I couldn’t be more fond of the guy.”

“Y-Y-You k-k-know w-w-where h-he w-w-went?”

“Got me there, pal. Although…” ( _Ponders briefly_ ). “Mebbe you could ask around Capsule Corp.”

“C-Capsule C-C-Corp?”

“It’s this huge place where they make capsules you can store a whole house in. Haven’t been there myself. Been hearing stories ‘bout green men, three-eyed guys, super-strong aliens with stupid-lookin’ hair, all kinds of weird fucks hanging ‘round the place. Tell ya what: I like you, so I’ll do you a solid. I’ll take you there. Maybe you’ll get lucky and find the son of a bitch.”

Lanson pondered briefly. It didn’t take Mule to realize putting his trust in this down-and-out human was risky at best and stupid at worst. There they were, all alone in an alleyway, in the middle of nowhere, nobody else around for miles. The guy was certainly taller than Champa. Even if the bum wasn’t as strong as he seemed, the feline was in no condition to fight back if the man tried to rob him, or worse. If Lanson screamed (a feat in and off itself, given the circumstances), the chances someone would arrive in time to save him were a mil to infinity. Plus, if the vagrant had been wondering the streets for long, he’d know where to turn to for a quick getaway. 

Nevertheless, by the Sphygian’s estimation, they’d been talking for a good four or five minutes. If the man intended to pull a fast one, he would’ve done so already. The ex-Hakaishin made his choice. 

“L-Lead the w-w-way, p-p-please.”

And so he did. The slovenly man and the feline left the alleyway, took to the main streets, which were cramped with wanderers, loiterers, and passersby. The nearby roads were filled with rush hour traffic directed by crossing guards. 

It’d been veritable centuries since the former god had seen so many different reasoning beings clustered together. Humans, canines, felines, even reptiles. He’d swung by U6’s Earth after Beerus graciously restored it for him, but the agglomerations in it weren’t much to look at, at least not compared to U7.

Lanson felt uneasy. There he was, banished from Universe 6, mortal, and shirtless, to top it off. Vados’s parting gift still shone brightly, yet other than a handful of gawkers here and there, nobody seemed to pay it much mind. Neither did the bum, for that matter. 

A confused Champa scratched his head. Who would’ve thought reasoning beings could be so... jaded? No, maybe not. Perhaps these people had seen way too many bizarre things, lived through so many unthinkable experiences, it’d take something catastrophic, downright Earth-shattering, to shake them out of their stupor.

( _Vagrant scratches his head_ ). “Y’know, I just realized… I don’t even know your name.”

“L-L-Lanson. M-My n-n-name i-is L-Lanson.”

“Robert. You sure stammer an awful lot, Lanson.”

( _Lanson frowns_ ). “I-I-I c-c-c-c-can’t-t-t h-help-p-p it.”

( _Robert smiles_ ). “Ain’t blamin’ you, man. Is just… you remind me of… never mind.”

“[ _Remind him of what?_ ].” 

Things took a turn for the worse after the pair turned the next corner. The aura around Lanson began to falter.

“O-Oh n-no!”

“What’s wrong?”

As if in a daze, the Sphygian took several steps further down the road.

“B-B-Beerus… h-h-help…”

“Lanson, wait!”

Just then, the pair and passersby spotted a hovercraft bearing Capsule Corp’s logo. His vision blurry, the aura petered out, then vanished all together by the time a coughing Lanson collapsed on his knees. The last thing the Sphygian saw was a spiky-haired man who seemed to fly out of the vehicle in his direction, yelling something. The rest was darkness…

_Two hours later…_

“Lemme through! That’s my brother!”

“You’re disturbing the patient, Sir. I’m afraid I must ask you to leave.”

“Don’t order me around, you overgrown ape! I wanna see my brother now!”

“Sir…”

“Let him in.”

That voice… that ~~shrill~~ ~~obnoxious~~ ~~grating~~ distinctive tone… was it… Beerus? Lanson tried to alert him, yet his tongue, like the rest of his body, had become eerily numb. 

Was it too late? Had the ~~annoying~~ ~~childish~~ ~~spoiled~~ ~~conceited~~ munificent Lord Champa VIII, son of Afsnath, of the Most Noble and Distinguished House of Marnier, passed on? Was he now in Other World, awaiting judgement by the Lords of the Dead? Didn’t take Zen-Oh to realize the feline would be found guilty. No prizes for guessing what would happen next. 

Lanson sighed. He had it coming. He’d been such a complete and utter toolbag in life. It’d be a miracle if he could find a single being able and willing to speak in his favor.

Fat lot of good it’d do for him! The Lords of the Dead regularly punished beings who, despite their sins, were a thousand times worthier than Champa. Those guys showed leniency ~~about as often as Geene had an orgasm~~ once every couple thousand years, if at all.

It was all over. Maybe the Lords would show a bit of restraint if he manned up for once. Perhaps Lady Afsnath could intercede, reach out to Lanson and call him—.

“THAT LITTLE SON OF A BITCH!”

Lanson coughed raucously, then opened his eyes. A hospital room… so _this_ is what Hell looks like. Kinda anticlimactic, but—.

“I’ll get the doctor!”

Something wasn’t right. Why was Okocim in Universe 6’s Hell? He was pledged to Universe 7, and—wait, what!? Okocim!?

“B-B-B-Beer… Beerus?”

“I’m here, Lanson. You’re safe now.”

Champa shuddered. That affectionate tone, that kind smile. It _was_ Okocim, son of Lech. His twin brother was back from the dead… at least in a metaphorical sense.

 _Oh, and one more thing: say hi to Beerus and Quitela for me_.

"[ _He did it! That blue thumbtack made Beerus mortal, threw him out into his own universe!_ ]. W-W-Where... a-am... I?”

“Capsule Corp Medical Center. You fainted in the streets, Champ. Good thing they got you here just in time.” 

“F-F-Fainted? I-I-I...”

Lanson squinted. What little purple Okocim still had mostly lingered around his countenance in the form of dwindling islets. The entirety of the ears and nearly the whole of the face had taken a tone not dissimilar to dark sienna, also present from the forearms to the hands and, if memory served, from calves to feet. Every other part of the late Lord Beerus had shifted into something reminiscent of dim gray. 

His Destroyer uniform gone, the former god now wore green sweatpants, a yellow t-shirt which read “CAT MAN” at the front, and a pair of fairly new tennis shoes. Far as Champa could tell, there was next to nothing left of the Hakaishin assigned to the Universe of Trust. For all intents and purposes, Okocim had resumed his former self, particularly that lingering sadness which engulfed him after…

Maybe this was all a bad dream, or one of the Omni-King’s classic pranks. Lanson already knew the answer, but he asked anyway.

“B-B-B-Bro… y-y-your c-c-colors… a-a-are you…?” ( _Okocim nods grimly_ ). “No…”

“You’re stammering, Champ. You haven’t done that since we were children.”

Lanson looked around. He’d been tethered to a respirator. He was also connected to an infusion pump, which would be feeding nutrients into his bloodstream, assuming Vados’s lessons still held. The fallen deity started to tear up.

“B-B-Bee…?”

( _Okocim frowns_ ). “I’m afraid that’s back, too. Sorry, bro.”

Turning to the Briefs and the nurse, Okocim requested some privacy. After the group obliged, the late Lord Beerus turned to Lanson, who was taken aback at the sight before his eyes: his twin brother, all grown up, shambling around with the help of a walking cane, took his hand and softly held it.

“Champa… did Zen-Oh do this to you? You don’t have to talk. Just nod or shake your head, ok?” ( _Lanson nods, sweats worriedly_ ). “If I had to guess, he barged into your temple, said you and me were disappointments, that he couldn’t possibly fathom how the _great_ Afsnath Marnier and Tusker Artois could’ve sired two fuck-ups like us (pardon my language). That about right?” ( _Another nod_ ). “He then put on this big judgement-and-damnation act, took away your God ki and Energy of Destruction, exiled you to this here Earth in a flashy boom tube. Correct?” ( _Lanson nods again_ ). “Can you fly, sense ki, do anything you could before?” 

Lanson shook his head, braced himself for a bout of laughter... yet it never came. Instead, Okocim frowned.

“Shit, man. He did it to me too. Even my limp’s back.”

Lanson took a deep breath: it was now or never.

“Q-Q-Q-Quit-t-t-t-te…l-l-l-l—.”

The ruse worked. Mortal or otherwise, that name was a surefire way to gain Beerus’s attention.

“Quitela? What about ‘im?”

Champa recalled the events from the previous hours. Much as he strained his mind, he couldn’t reproduce the exact words of the King of All.

“Z-Z-Z-Z-Zen-O-O-O-Oh s-s-said t-t-to… s-s-say h-h-hello… w-when w-w-we m-m-meet h-h-h-him.”

Okocim put on his thinking cap. Eons after the fact, that particular expression still looked pretty much the same.

“That means the Omni-King’s going after the damn rat, or he already has. Can’t say I feel sorry for Quitela, but then again, none of this makes any damn sense.”

At that moment, the door opened. The nurse let himself in.

“Excuse me, Sir. The doctor is here.”

“Just a sec.” ( _Okocim smiles kindly_ ). Be right back, Champ. Stay strong, ok?”

Though much against his will, Lanson nodded and returned the smile. After Okocim quit the room, the doctor and a pair of nurses began coming and going as needed. The doctor asked the questions _de rigueur_ , was about to move on to treatment when Champa remembered something.

“R-R-Rob-b-b-bert… w-w-where is h-h-h-h-he?”

( _Confused Nurse is…_ ). “Who’s Robert?”

The second nurse, a medium-sized dog-like woman with a slight Jamaican accent, took over.

“I think he’s talking about the homeless man who was with him.” ( _To Lanson_ ). “We don’t know, Sir. I’m sorry.”

( _Lanson frowns_ ). "[ _What happened? Did he try to get into the hospital? Was he... kicked out?_ ]."

Champa’s keen hearing caught snippets of what went out outside. Okocim was having a talk with someone named Bulma, Vegeta, and Goku.

The disgraced deity searched his memory. The Tournament of Destroyers, the Tournament of Power, that baseball game, that time when Hit took a job from a client in U7, but the client and would-be victim were one and the same…

“[ _To think barely a year ago we were fighting each other just to stay alive. Life sure can be funny sometimes_ ].

Sometime later, Okocim reentered the room. He looked rather worried by the time he took a seat next to Lanson.

“B-B-Bee?”

“Yeah, Champ?”

“H-How l-long h-h-has it-t-t been?”

“Since I became mortal? 'Bout two weeks, I’d guess. Why do you ask?”

“N-No r-r-reason.”

“L-Look, Champ, there’s somethin’ I need to tell you. Tomorrow morning Bulma’s taking me to Kami’s Lookout. That’s where the Guardian of Earth lives.”

“W-W-What f-for?”

( _Okocim sweats slightly_ ). “Training. I’m gonna be training for the next coupla weeks or so. Goku says it’ll help me get my powers back.” ( _Sotto voce_ ). “(Not that I’m holdin’ my breath or anything…).”

“W-What?”

“Nothin’, nothin’...” ( _Sighs_ ). “Speaking of training… Vegeta told me to tell you he’ll be swinging by tomorrow. Said something about drilling you in basics. Ki manipulation, flying, that sorta thing…”

At that moment, the male nurse moved a tray inside. Lanson took a quick look at today’s supper: a lightly seasoned chicken breast with a side of string beans, mashed potatoes, milk, and an orange, already peeled for convenience. 

Champa took a couple of bites. The food wasn’t particularly bad, but it wasn’t particularly good, either. The bedridden feline stole furtive looks at his twin.

“[ _Okocim… and here I thought he was gonna make me clean gutters or something. Hold on a sec… if he’s mortal now, then…_ ]. C-Cim? You b-b-been h-having t-t-trouble with… y-y-y’know…?”

( _Okocim nods somberly_ ). “Damn ki control. It’s the old days all over again, Lan. All that’s missing is Father hitting me, yelling at me, calling me a—” ( _Smiles kindly_ ). “Don’t worry ‘bout me, bro. You focus on getting out of this place. Listen to what Vegeta says. He’s not particularly chatty, or a people person, for that matter, but he knows his shit (pardon my language). ( _Realizes something_ ). “Almost forgot. Vegeta also said he’s gonna put you on a diet.”

( _Horrified Lanson is…_ ). “W-What!? A-A-A-A-And y-y-you d-didn’t-t-t-t s-s-stop-p-p h-him!?”

“Stop him? It’s freaking Vegeta, Prince of Saiyans and all that jazz! Bulma’s the only one who can say “no” to the guy and get away with it. Hell, sometimes not even _she_ can…” ( _Sigh_ ).

“B-B-Bee? Y-Y-You f-feeling a-a-alrig-g-g-ght?” 

“I’m ok. Don’t worry about me.”

A cellphone rang. Okocim answered.

“Beerus here. Ok. Be right there, Bulma.” ( _Hangs up, takes Lanson's hand again_ ). “Gotta go, Champ. I’ll swing by tomorrow before I take off.”

( _Lanson frowns_ ). “B-B-Bee… is… i-is this g-g-g-gonna… l-last f-forever?”

( _Okocim frowns, lets go of the hand_ ). “‘Fraid so, Champ. I… look, there’s this lil’ nugget of wisdom Bulma shared on my first coupla days. Take things one day at a time. Whole lot harder than it sounds, but believe me, worth a try.”

( _Lanson smiles_ ). “I-I’ll keep that in mind.”

( _Okocim smiles_ ). “I’ll see you tomorrow, Lan.”

With that, Okocim took his leave. Lanson found it difficult to sleep that night, his thoughts turning now to Vados, then to his twin, then his mother…

_The Omni-King’s Realm…_

Vados and Whis entered the Audience Chamber at Zen-Oh’s Palace. The Guide Angels from Universes 6 and 7 looked weary, downright exhausted, by the time the King of All deactivated his monitor.

“Any luck?”

( _Vados steps forward_ ). “There wasn’t much we could do. The Void Realm beat us to the punch yet again.”

( _Whis sighs_ ). “We had our rendezvous with Liquiir, Iwan, Negroni, and Tusker as planned, yet the entire arms cache had been picked clean by the time we got there.”

Whis looked around, bade Vados and Zen-Oh to approach, after which he whispered.

“I’m starting to think there might be spies in our midst. I can't come up with any other logical explanation as to why the Void Realm keeps anticipating our every move.”

Zen-Oh held his tongue just as he was about to reply. Iwan and Liquiir made the scene, escorted by their Guide Angels Korn and Awamo.

( _Iwan and the others bow, get back up_ ). “Greetings, Your Eminence. I trust Whis already informed you of today’s fiasco?”

( _Liquiir cracks his knuckles_ ). “It’s such a shame we couldn’t get there sooner. I, for one, would’ve loved to shed some Void Realmer blood.”

( _Iwan yawns_ ). “Indeed. It’s not every day one meets such worthy, and dare I say irritating, opponents.” 

( _Awamo shakes his head_ ). “Count your blessings, Lord Iwan. We were lucky to elude them.”

( _Liquiir steps forward_ ). “Your Eminence, if I may, I can’t help but harbor rather serious reservations about that other part of your plan.” ( _Ponders briefly_ ). “What’s it called again?”

( _Deadpan Korn is…_ ). “Operation Nadir.”

“Korn and I read the Grand Priest’s reports. I, for one, can’t believe you’re putting so much faith in those Five Foibles.”

( _Still deadpan Korn is..._ ). “Five Failures.”

( _Awamo frowns_ ). “I hate to say this, but Liquiir’s worries aren’t entirely groundless. I think it would be unwise to place so much trust on mortals, particularly ones who proved unworthy of the title of Hakaishin."

( _Wary Iwan is..._ ). "Indeed, Sir. Please forgive our boldness, yet such a plan has little, if any, chance to succeed. I—”

( _Snippy Zen-Oh is…_ ). “I’m well aware of the situation, Stroh von Bundaberg, Attendant Awamo.” ( _Turns to Liquiir_ ). “I also see where you’re coming from, Rugato di Amarone, Attendant Korn, but it’s too late to turn back now."

"You needn't worry about our fighting prowess, Sir. Iwan and I are sure to impress on the battlefield. Why, I..." 

( _Still snippy Zen-Oh is..._ ). "[ _Oh, you'll impress, alright. Damn fox. You only landed a coupla hits on Beerus last time you_ _fought him_ ]." ( _Turns to Iwan_ ). "[ _You're in no position to brag either, you sentient cyst. You can barely hold your own against Champa and Sidra, to say nothing of Quitela. Hell, even Rumush has more of a chance than you, and he's..._ ]. If the worst comes to pass, the Five Failures will be our last hope to counter the Void Realm. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to check up on Future Me.”

The Omni-King and his attendants quit the chamber. The Destroyers and Guide Angels from Universe 1 and 8 excused themselves and followed suit.

( _Worried Vados is…_ ). “You don’t think…?”

“I suggest we keep our suspicions to ourselves for the time being.”

“Of course. You can count on me.” ( _Sighs_ ). “I hope we’re wrong, Whis.”

“Me too, Vados.”

With that, the siblings went their separate ways…

* * *

[1] William Shakespeare, _The Tragedy of Macbeth_ , V, 1: 20.

[2] Possible V.A.’s: Phil LaMarr (Green Lantern / John Stewart, _Justice League_ , _Justice League Unlimited_ ), William C. Stephens (Jackson "Jax" Briggs, _Mortal Kombat 11_ ), Roscoe “Rocky” Carroll (Derek “Talon” Maza, _Gargoyles_ ), Idris Elba (Chief Bogo, _Zootopia_ ).


	2. The Boy with Bead-Black Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lanson's training begins as he meets some interesting people...

Dragon Ball Super: Twilight of Gods, by Chronos-X

Saga I: **On Mortality and Consequences**

Book Three: **Champa**

Chapter 2: The Boy with Bead-Black Eyes

_The next day…_

A groaning Lanson opened his eyes. Slivers of daylight peeked in through gaps in the blinds. The Sphygian’s room felt cramped and musty. Though the late Lord Champa would’ve gladly slumbered till noon, the prospect of freezing over in his sleep wasn’t particularly appealing.

Yawning himself awake, Lanson lit up a lamp at a nearby table. Once his eyes adjusted to the blinding light, the sluggish feline made to get out of bed. Lanson’s teeth chattered. Had the floor been any colder, it would’ve been made out of icicles.

“[ _So it wasn’t a dream. I’m still here, still mortal. Where’s Okocim? Hope he didn’t forget about me…_ ].”

Tethered to an IV bag hung over a wheeled pole, the disgraced Hakaishin made his way to the nearby bathroom. Having left the door half-open, Lanson stared at his reflection in front of him. The cat man’s purple pigmentation was already giving way to khaki hues and brindled Marengo-clair patterns.

( _Lanson sighs_ ). “[ _So this is how it ends. Not with a bang. Not even with a whimper_[1] _. Vados… Mother… why didn’t you—?_ ].”

A knock on the door brought the cat man back to reality.

“Lanson?”

“I-I-I’m i-in t-t-the b-b-bathr-r-room, C-C-Cim.”

“You ok? Need help with anything?”

“I-I’m f-f-fine. B-B-B-Be r-r-right out-t-t.”

Grumbling to himself, Lanson hastily brushed his teeth.

“[ _Overly punctual, always offering to help… it’s Okocim, alright. Guess I should be thankful we’re not at each other’s throats…_ ].”

The Sphygian washed his face, dried it off with a towel, then quit the restroom. Cane in hand, clad in a plain white t-shirt, bluish cargo pants, and reddish tennis shoes, the artist formerly known as Beerus stood close to the entrance.

( _Lanson sighs_ ). “M-M-Mornin’, B—.”

The portly feline couldn’t finish his sentence, as Okocim all but threw himself into his twin’s embrace. Lanson wanted to hug him back, shake him off, ask what was going on, yet he merely stood there.

“B-B-Bee…?”

“I really missed you, Champ. I… I…”

Okocim released Lanson. The ex-Destroyer stood perplexed. The portly feline tried to speak several times, but the words died before they were born.

Lanson took a closer look.

Okocim Lech-Sa, formerly Beerus the Destroyer, was crying.

No.

Not crying.

 _Weeping_.

It’d been veritable eons since Lanson Brulle-Sa had last seen his twin like this.

It reminded him of that day.

 _Her_.

The day she—.

“I-I’m sorry, C-Champ. Zen-Oh… he… he said he was gonna go after you too, when he… y’know.” ( _Okocim frowns_ ). “I was afraid… of what he’d do to you. Thank Kami Bulma and Vegeta found you. If they hadn’t, I… I… I almost died on my first day, Champ. I would’ve wound up street pizza if Vegeta and Goku’s boys hadn’t arrived when they did.”

The male who became God of Destruction Beerus sat on the edge of the bed. 

“My fault.”

“C-Cim?”

“A-All… all… my… fault…”

“Beerus?”

Bulma’s voice echoed in the hallway. 

“Is everything ok, Beer—?”

Bulma couldn’t go any further. This wasn’t the first time she’d seen Okocim like this. Her expression told Lanson that much.

“Okocim…”

“I-I’m s-sorry, Bulma… I… I’m… I’m so… so… stupid… so—.”

“Okocim… no.”

The human sat next to the lean Sphygian. Lanson soon lost track of what she said. Okocim’s look, posture, and gestures hadn’t changed at all after all those centuries. Try as he might, the former Lord Champa found himself unable to move or speak.

“Bulma?”

The trio looked to the entrance. Already clad in full battle garb, a stern Vegeta crossed his arms against his chest, eyed Okocim with thinly veiled contempt. The President of Capsule Corp rose.

“Would you mind helping Champa? I’ve got my hands full.”

“Fine. We’ll have breakfast over at your parents’ apartment.” ( _Bulma nods. Vegeta turns to Champa_ ). “Here you go.”

The Saiyan Prince tossed a bundle of clothes at Lanson. Next thing Lanson knew, he was wearing a battle suit and armor much like Vegeta’s. Master and pupil were out of the hospital in a matter of minutes…

_One hour later…_

A stoic Vegeta sipped his coffee after finishing his tenth (or eleventh?) plate of bran and bananas. His son Trunks gulped a whole glass of orange juice in microseconds. Lanson did his best not to stare.

“[ _Damn Saiyans… where do they put it all? Hard to believe I was eating twice as much just a coupla days ago_ ].”

“Would you like some waffles, Lanson?”

The Sphygian turned. Panchy Briefs had just finished the latest batch. Champa’s mouth watered. That fluffy, syrupy golden goodness! Just live Vados used to—.

( _Stoic Vegeta is…_ ). “No, thank you.”

“[ _What!?_ ].”

Vegeta left the table, told his son to go back home and get ready for school, then turned to Lanson.

“Did you bring your medication and inhaler?” ( _Lanson nods_ ). “Good. Hurry up.”

At that moment, someone else entered the kitchen.

“Good morning, everyone[2].”

“Hi, Ms. Williams!”

“Hello, Trunks.”

Vegeta silently nodded. Lanson spared a side-glance. It was one of the nurses from the hospital. Having exchanged a few pleasantries with Panchy, the dog woman donned an apron and began washing dishes. 

The Sphygian took a cautious second look. Williams stood a little over five-foot-three. The Inuningan[3] seemed to be in her forties, had a slightly round build, came and went all over the place in a brisk pace. 

Champa noticed the woman’s prevalent bulldog and basset hound features, with unknown amounts of African wild dog, perhaps other species, thrown in for good measure. Instead of her nurse’s uniform, she sported a simple turquoise blouse, a draped dark blue denim skirt, and tennis shoes, her dark Afro-textured hair tied in a bun.

( _Panchy realizes something_ ). “O-Ooh, where are my manners? Lanson, this is Alberta Williams. She helps me around the house.”

( _Alberta smiles kindly_ ). “You’re Mr. Beerus’s brother, right?”

( _Shy Lanson is…_ ). “[ _Mr. Beerus?_ ]. Y-Yeah. W-W-W-W-We’re t-t-twins.”

( _Alberta yawns_ ). “Excuse me. I had trouble sleeping last night.”

“Would you like a cup of coffee, Alberta?”

“Yes, Mrs. Briefs. Thank you.”

( _Vegeta gets up_ ). “Thanks for everything, Panchy. Let’s go, Lo—Lanson.”

“You’re welcome, dearie! Good luck out there!”

_Five minutes later…_

Vegeta and Lanson apparated in the middle of a vast field. The Sphygian blinked in confusion, looked around in utter disbelief. At the same time, Vegeta checked the contents of a small black pouch, zipped it shut, and put it away.

“W-W-W-Where are w-w-w-we!? W-W-Weren’t w-we a-at Ca-Ca-Capsule C-Corp j-j-just a m-m-m-moment a-ago!?”

( _Stern Vegeta is…_ ). “Instant Transmission. A handy technique Kakarot picked up years ago. Today you’re going to relearn the basics of ki control. Try to pick up my energy signature. [ _Hope whatever Beerus has doesn’t run in the family. We’re in deep enough shit as it is_ ].”

Lanson shut his eyes, quieted his thoughts. He soon picked up the Saiyan Prince’s ki.

( _Overjoyed Lanson is…_ ). “I-It’s w-w-working! I-I c-c-can s-s-sense y-your e-e-energy, V-V-V-Veget-t-t-ta!” ( _Realizes something_ ). “I-I’m h-h-having t-t-t-t-trouble m-m-maintain-n-n-ning the c-c-connection.”

“Never mind that. Try to fly.”

The Sphygian complied. After a brief struggle, Lanson’s body slowly began to leave the ground. A relieved Vegeta smiled.

“[ _Thank the gods. Perhaps this won’t be as difficult as I—_ ].”

“V-V-VEGETA!”

“What is it, Champa!? What’s wrong!?”

T-T-THERE’S O-O-O-O-O-O-OTHER P-P-PEOPLE H-H-HERE T-T-TOO!”

Lanson fell on his bottom before the Saiyan could react. The cat man suffered yet another asthma attack. Thinking fast, Vegeta searched the pouch, produced an inhaler and medication.

“Calm down, Lanson. Breathe in the medicine.”

The feline’s shallow breathing gradually deepened. Once the patient was out of danger, Vegeta collected himself, reached out with his senses. Lanson spoke truth. There were eight other ki signatures heading their way.

“Get a hold of yourself. There’s nothing to worry about.”

“W-Who a-a-a-are they?”

“Our allies. They’re going to train with us today.”

“[ _Allies?_ ].”

“Hey there!”

Vegeta looked up. The Prince and the Sphygian spotted Raditz and Nappa, followed by a pair of canines and an ape-like fellow. Lanson recognized the first two males, a red wolf and a golden coyote. The wolf offered a handshake to the fallen Hakaishin.

“Hello, Lord Champa.”

Overcoming his stupor, Lanson returned the greeting. He could tell the canine was holding his strength back.

“Y-You two are f-f-from U-Universe 9, a-a-aren’t y-y-you? Y-Y-You’re B-Basil, r-right?”

( _Basil smiles_ ). “That’s right, Lord Champa.” ( _Notices something, frowns_ ). “Sorry. Me and my big maw.”

( _Lanson frowns, shakes his head_ ). “I-I-I-It’s ok. J-J-Just c-c-call m-m-me L-Lanson, w-will you?”

The young wolf released Lanson’s hand. The deposed Destroyer noticed the other two fighters behind Basil.

“H-Hi. U-Uh, L-L-Lavender, r-r-right?”

The coyote growled to himself. Ignoring Lanson, Lavender walked about a stone throw away from the group and began stretching.

( _Contemptuous snort is…_ ). “Are you deaf, pup? This bloke greeted you, and you’re just going to ignore him?”

( _Lavender spits to his left_ ). “Don’t start with me, Sidra. We’re here to train, not make friends.”

“Why, you little—!”

( _Basil sighs_ ). “You two…”

Lanson’s ears stood at attention. Had he heard the coyote right!? Only one way to find out. The Sphygian shut his eyes and collected himself. It couldn’t be! But it was. The red-furred, leonine/porcine/apish being standing behind Basil was the Destroyer (or rather, ex-Destroyer) God of Universe 9. His ki said as much.

“S-S-S-Sidra?”

The mutated Heranian stared back at Lanson, scratched his head in utter confusion.

“And who might you be? You seem… familiar.”

“D-D-Don’t you rec-c-cognize m-me? I-I’m C-C-Champa, f-f-from U-Universe 6! I-I’m B-B-Beerus’s b-b-brother.”

“Champa? Beerus?”

“Excuse us.”

Basil took Lanson a bit further away from the others, made to whisper into his ear.

( _Sotto-voce_ ). “(B-Basil? W-W-What’s g-g-g-going o-on? W-W-Why d-d-d-doesn't S-Sidra know w-w-w-who I-I-I-I am?).”

Basil frowned like he was about to cry, yet soon regained his presence of mind.

“(Lord Ch—Lanson… Sidra, he… he lost his memory).”

“(W-What!?)."

The Sphygian surreptitiously glanced at Sidra's direction. The disgraced deity from the Improvised Universe appeared worried, as if he'd suddenly woken up in a strange, hostile world which thwarted all comprehension. 

"(H-H-How!? W-Why!?).”

“(You know that thing the Omni-King did when he made you mortal? He did it to Sidra, too, but... something went wrong, and Zen-Oh… mind-wiped him. He says it was an accident. Other than that, we don’t know the full details).”

“(I s-see. W-W-Why d-d-does h-h-he l-l-look like that?).”

“(We don’t know that, either. Zen-Oh’s portal took Sidra to some place called Bogle Island, where he met an old guy named Eddoes Figueroa. He and his grandkids took him in. Sidra was half-transformed by the time we found him. Eddoes said he began changing about a week or so after Sidra started living with them. I—).”

( _Impatient Nappa is…_ ). “Get back here, you two! We’ve got work to do!”

The pair complied as the other three warriors reached the area. Introductions were underway by the time Lanson returned to Vegeta’s side. 

The former deity took a closer look as the others exchanged greetings. One of the new arrivals was a young cat woman, a tabby and calico hybrid, if Vados’s biology lessons still applied. The Nekoningan[4] had cybernetic prostheses where her right arm and tail once were. 

A younger rooster lad, almost a child, trailed behind her. His flesh besmirched by several burns and scaly patches, the Toriningan[5] wore dark wraparound glasses, uneasily felt the ground in front of him with a white cane. 

The youngest of the three, a Ryoseiningan[6] male, strode ahead. He couldn’t have been older than seven or eight. The withered external gills behind the head confirmed Lanson’s surmise. The boy was an axolotl, most likely a hybrid, as hinted by the odd markings on his skin. The late Lord Champa searched his memory. No other Ahoroturans[7] he’d seen bore such coloring or stripes. 

“Hi!”

The once and future Champa returned to reality. A sheepish Lanson returned the female’s wave.

“U-Uh… h-h-h-hi…”

“My name is Anise. You’re Champa, right? Okocim’s brother?[8]”

( _Lanson smiles timidly_ ). “Y-Yeah. P-P-Please, c-c-c-call me L-L-Lanson. A-A-A-A-Ap-p-pologies f-f-for the st-st-st-stuttering…”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Anise?[9]”

The cat woman turned. Anise backed away slightly to the right, allowing the rooster boy the right of way.

“H-Hi. M-My name is Cumin. N-Nice to meet you, Mr. Lanson.”

“S-S-Same h-h-here.”

Fowl and feline briefly shook hands. An annoyed Anise surveyed the area in front of her. It wasn’t long before she found what she was searching for. The axolotl was already halfway through an opening _kata_ by the time the Saiyans approached.

“Sorry about that. Fennel is really committed to training.” 

( _Cumin scratches his wattles_ ). “Yeah. So much, in fact, he sometimes neglects basic etiquette. That means he forgets his manners. It drives Master Tien crazy.”

( _Stern Raditz is…_ ). “Come on, everybody. We’re burning daylight.”

The group split into two halves. Vegeta and Nappa took Cumin, Sidra, and Basil, leaving Raditz with Lanson, Anise, Lavender, and Fennel. The Saiyan Prince handed the black pouch to Goku’s brother, spoke something the others didn’t quite catch, and left.

The Sphygian felt uneasy.

“[ _Poison Blow Lavender… didn’t think I’d see him again... at least not this soon. We’re allies now… right? Is it me, or is there something off about the guy? If only Vados were here. She’d know what to_ —].”

“Lanson.”

“Y-Y-Yes, R-R-Rad-d-d-d-ditz?”

“You won’t be doing anything strenuous yet. Doctor’s orders. Today you’re going to practice ki control with Anise and Fennel. I’ll spar with Lavender in the meantime.”

“O-Ok.”

Having entrusted the pouch to Anise, Raditz departed with the coyote. Lanson shuddered at the sight of Fennel. Something wasn’t right about that lad. Instinct howled at the Sphygian to get away from the axolotl, to escape those searing dark eyes at all cost. 

Too little, too late. The youth looked Lanson in the eyes. The brat might as well have read him like a Doomsday book. Perhaps he fancied himself a wrathful deity made flesh, ready to send the guilty to whatever hellish realm their sins had earned them. 

Fortunately, the Tien-Shin pupil had bigger fish to fry. Using sign language, the lad “spoke” to Anise through a series of beeps and other sounds, then stood about a stone throw away from the others.

“A-A-Anise? W-W-What d-d-did F-F-Fennel say?”

“He said ‘I’ll serve as visual aid, Lozada’ (that’s my last name, by the way). ‘It would be best if you handled the explanations.’ Can’t say I disagree... anyway, make sure to pay attention.” ( _Sotto-voce_ ). “(Fennel hates it when people don’t listen to him, so make sure to pay attention. Also, he’s got a bit of a temper, so watch what you say to him).”

Lanson nodded. Fennel raised his right hand to the heavens. Champa was briefly distracted by the bulging black veins around the lad’s countenance. His gloved hand gleaming underneath the morning sun, the axolotl began to gather ki into his fingertips as Anise began the lesson.

“Relax. Gather your mind. Focus. Make the energy come to you, then contain it. Don’t let it leak. Don’t let it run wild.”

“[ _This isn’t all that different from what Vados used to say…_ ].”

The disgraced Hakaishin shut his eyes. It took a while, but Lanson managed to gather a modicum of ki with his right hand. The late Lord Champa looked at the construct he’d made. It was barely the size of an apple, resembled something akin to a misshapen pearl… but it was his.

A satisfied Fennel nodded once, then turned Lanson’s attention to the perfect sphere atop his fingers. The amphibian allowed the ki to flow through him. In less than a minute, the palms of the Tien-Shin pupil radiated in the manner of minute suns. Anise took her cue. 

“Visualize your energy. It’s like a serene, still lake. There’re ripples in the water, like soundwaves carrying wind. You are sound. You are waves. You are wind. Flow. Allow your ki to flow without spilling.”

Before Anise and Fennel knew it, Lanson’s hands shone like Fennel’s, yet the Sphygian’s joy was short-lived. The flow of ki petered out, then ceased altogether.

“W-W-What’s g-g-g-g-going on? I c-c-can’t-t-t-t maintain the f-f-flow!”

“Take it easy, Lanson. You’ve only just started. It’ll be a while before you—.”

“<Lozada!>.”

Lanson was on his knees. The former God of Destruction was short of breath, coughing, gasping vehemently. Thinking fast, the axolotl snatched the pouch from the cat woman’s hands, produced the inhaler and emergency medication, and ministered them to the patient. A good two minutes went as Lanson’s breathing steadily slowed, then resumed normalcy, much to the relief of the Tien-Shin students.

“Are you alright, Lanson?”

( _Lanson frowns_ ). “I-I-I’ll b-b-be f-f-f-fine. S-S-S-Sorry about that.”

Having shut his eyes, the Sphygian repeated the motions. It took some doing, but soon his hands were alight with energy once again. Like the previous instance, the glow started to wane, then faded altogether.

“I-I-I-I d-d-d-d-don’t-t-t-t u-u-understand. W-What a-a-am I-I-I d-d-d-d-doing w-w-wrong?”

Arms crossed against his chest, Fennel considered their next course of action. It took the axolotl all of one minute to make a decision, which he then conveyed to Anise.

“Fennel said ‘Don’t let this upset you. This is likely a lingering consequence of Zen-Oh’s magic, so it should dissipate on its own over the next few weeks. In the meantime, you ought to focus on basics. Don’t try to run before you have relearned how to walk. Otherwise, you’ll only hurt yourself.’”

Lanson nodded. The late Lord Champa continued his ki gathering exercises for a good half an hour. By that time, the fallen deity managed to increase the time he could hold on to his energy from barely half a minute to four, perhaps five. 

Fennel glowered. Lanson didn’t need to read his ki to tell how the lad was feeling. The Tien-Shin pupil was likely dissatisfied with such a turn of events, yet strove not to show it.

“[ _Fennel… the boy reminds me of Mother. She could be seething in anger one moment, then perfectly placid the next. All the more reason not to push her buttons… could’ve been worse, though. At least I didn’t have to deal with Father, unlike Oko—_ ].”

“Lanson…”

“H-Huh?”

“Remember what I told you.”

The feline came back to here and now. A somewhat annoyed Fennel directed the cat man’s gaze at a decaying tree trunk lying about six or seven stone throws away from the group. The amphibian “spoke”/signaled one more time, allowing sufficient time for Anise to translate.

“‘Thus far you’ve been learning how to gather ki and regulate its flow within your body. Now we begin with the basics of energy-based offense and defense. ( _Extends his hand towards the trunk_ ). Make sure to pay attention.’” ( _Anise ponders briefly_ ). “Hold on a moment, Fenn.”

Anise approached her fellow student. Displeased as he was, the axolotl stayed his hand.

“Remember what Master Tien said. You’re not supposed to use ki-based attacks unsupervised.”

( _Fennel grumbles, “speaks”/signals_ ). “<You’re here, Lozada. Last I checked, that counted as supervision>.”

“I know that. I still think you should let me take over, though, at least for now.”

“<Why? Do you think me incapable?>.”

“No, not at all. It’s just… you know how Master worries.”

“<I see… >.” ( _Fennel scowls_ ). “<Tien Shinhan has no qualms about you and Jintan using ki freely, but won’t let me do so without his express permission. Why? Because you two happen to be older?>.”

Anise crossed her arms against her chest.

“I don’t make the rules, Fenn. I just enforce them. If you blast that trunk and somebody gets hurt, we’ll _both_ get in trouble. Best to play it safe.”

“<‘Play it safe?’ Having you blast the trunk in my stead won’t change a thing. It’ll end up destroyed, irrespective of who does the shooting. Therefore, yours is a moot point>.”

( _Stern Anise is..._ ). “Don’t argue with me, Fennel. It’s for your own good.”

( _Fennel glowers_ ). “<Rubbish>.”

“Excuse me?”

( _Fennel crosses his arms against his chest_ ). “<I wasn’t born yesterday, Lozada. That excuse of yours is so paper-thin, Jintan could write his crappy poetry in it>.”

“Fennel!”

“<Spare me your lectures. You don’t trust me. Don't waste time pretending otherwise>.” 

His hands concealed within the sleeves of his uniform, the seething Fennel began to walk away.

“Where’re you going?"

“<To resume my exercises. Lanson is all yours>.”

“Fenn…”

( _Fennel briefly stops_ ). “<Do as you see fit, but make sure you do it right. The next mistake we make might be our last>.”

“Fenn… I…”

( _Fennel growls_ ). “<Don’t make me repeat myself>.”

Having spoken thus, the axolotl retired further away.

“Fennel… gods damn it.”

( _Bemused Lanson is..._ ). “A-A-Anise? W-What j-j-just hap-p-p-pened?”

“Fennel and I had a disagreement, and now he’s mad at me.” ( _Sighs_ ). “Let’s just do this already.” 

As Anise and Lanson continued their practice, Fennel initiated a series of complex _katas_. An hour and a half later, the Tien-Shin pupil stopped dead in his tracks. The lad shut his eyes, had his energy reach out beyond his immediate surroundings.

( _Translated from Greek_ ).

“{[ _Could it be?_[10]]}.”

Lozada also felt something was amiss. Reciprocating Fennel’s approach, the cat woman tapped into her ki sensing abilities, much to Lanson’s wonderment. Recalling Vados’s lessons, the former Lord Champa did much the same. It took some doing, but he eventually picked up the faint trace of an unknown energy signature.

“Fennel!”

Lozada and the fallen Destroyer watched as the axolotl took flight to the neighboring mountains.

“Can you fly, Lanson?”

“A-A l-l-little… I—.”

The Sphygian found himself in the air before he could finish that sentence. Her right hand clutching the medicine bag, Anise held on to Lanson with her left. Luckily, Vegeta and the others were soon to follow. Once she explained the situation and entrusted the patient and the bag to the group, the cat woman and Jintan sped towards the amphibian’s location.

It wasn’t long before Fennel reached the source of that signature. Back on solid ground, the axolotl vainly tried to recapture it. The youth grew weary.

“{[ _He was here. That much is certain. The question is—_ ]}.”

“Fennel!”

The amphibian initially ignored the landing Anise and Cumin, busy as he was trying to make sense of the situation.

“Why did you run off like that!? Cumin and I were worried sick!” ( _Fennel doesn't respond_ ). "Answer me, Fennel!"

( _Vexed Cumin is..._ ). "She asked you a question, Márathos. Least you can do is acknowledge it. That means you ought to respond." 

Livid as he was, Fennel politely gestured at the pair to hush, then “spoke”/signaled.

“<Call Master Tien and the others>.”

( _Confused Anise is…_ ). “Huh? Why?”

“<We have a new enemy>.”

"Fenn..."

( _Fennel glowers_ ). "<Don't argue with me, Lozada." ( _His expression briefly softens_ ). "Please... do as I say. Just this once."

Anise nodded, produced her cellphone and dialed a number. Vegeta and the other Z-Fighters were descending by the time the axolotl took a look at the mountains above.

"F-Fennel..." ( _The amphibian side-glances at Lanson_ ). "W-Who... Who w-w-w-was that?"

The Tien-Shin pupil turned away. Lanson took the hint. Márathos solemnly sighed while the Z-Fighters went over their next move.

"[{ _Conium..._ }]."

_5:25 PM, Capsule Corp…_

Vegeta and his student warped back to the courtyard outside the Briefs mansion. Barely recovered from yet another asthma attack, Lanson sat down on an adjacent bench with a despondent sigh. It wasn’t long before the Saiyan Prince handed him the bag.

“Lanson… tell Bulma I had to take a quick trip to Kami’s Lookout.”

“K-Kam-m-mi’s Look-k-kout? I-Isn’t th-th-th-that w-w-where O-O-Okocim is?”

( _Vegeta nods_ ). “I’ll meet up with Kakarot and the others. I won’t be long.”

With that, the Prince of All Saiyans disappeared. Leaning back, Lanson looked up at the sky. So many times he’d seen it back home at Universe 6, that very sky his mother, _her_ mother, and their ancestors had taken for granted. The late Lord Champa was no exception. Such magnificence, such vastness, so stupidly ignored...

Lady Afsnath was always busy. When she wasn’t blowing up planets, mediating in power struggles among countless factions, or suppressing rebellions instigated by Icejins, Saiyans, and/or rogue Kais, she would be honing her fighting skills under Vados’s tutelage. Perhaps that was the reason why the Guide Angel harbored so much respect for Champa’s predecessor. Unlike her sons, Brulle Féverte-Se wasn’t one to shy away from hard work. Her reign didn’t mark U6’s Golden Age for nothing, after all. _His_ , on the other hand…

Lanson suddenly snapped out of his reverie. A female Nekoningan had taken a seat on a neighboring bench. Having lit up a cigarette, she took one extended drag after the other, made sure to expel the smoke in long, wide puffs. Dressed in a heavily stained mechanic’s uniform, the cat woman paid little mind to Lanson and the other people going about their business. The fallen Destroyer took a cautious look at the tag to the right of the shirt, located just below the Capsule Corp logo. It read “Moines.”

Lanson put on his thinking cap. Moines most likely was an Oriental Shorthair with clearly noticeable Cornish Rex heritage. Her lean build accentuated the cheekbones on a forlorn countenance, its expression bordering on bereft as she blinked her peach-white feline eyes, yawned indifferently, and turned to her portly neighbor.

( _Lanson waves timidly_ ). “H-Hi…”

“You want something? You’ve been staring at me for a while now[11].”

“O-O-Oh, s-s-s-sorry about that. D-D-Didn’t m-mean t-t-to st-st-stare.”

“Dunno why you bothered. Ain’t much to look at.”

“S-So… I-I-I t-t-t-take it-t-t y-y-you w-w-work h-h-here, r-r-r-r-right?”

( _Moines exhales smoke, coughs thrice_ ). “No, I left my clothes at home and borrowed these from somebody’s hamper. They’re pretty snug, all things considered.”

( _Lanson scowls_ ). “I-If y-you d-d-don’t w-w-w-wanna talk [cough]... y-y-y-you c-c-could’ve [cough x2]... y-you could've... [cough x3] just s-said s-s-s-so. N-N-No n-n-need to g-get s-s-s-snippy.”

“The more you know…” 

The humorless Moines took another long drag, expelled another puff of smoke as she extinguished the cigarette and discarded it into a nearby trash bin. For some reason he couldn't quite explain, Lanson half-expected the feline to breathe fire not unlike the dragons of yore. 

( _Moines yawns loudly_ ). “You’re the guy Mr. and Mrs. Briefs rescued yesterday, aren’t you?”

“Y-Y-Yeah. H-H-How d-d-did y-y-you know?”

 _“[How could I **not** know?]._ News travels fast around here. That’s sayin' something, this being such a huge place.” ( _Turns to Lanson_ ). “No offense, but you kinda remind me of that purple cat jerk that used t’ swing by and eat the Briefs out of house and home every coupla weeks or so.” ( _Moines coughs_ ). “He didn’t take crap from anybody. Gotta respect that.”

“[ _‘Purple cat jerk…’ if she only knew…_ ]. S-S-So… y-y-you like w-w-working here?”

“[ _Could be worse… much worse_ ]. It pays the bills. Lets me make a living doing something I’m good at. No complaints. By the way, I have a question for you. Remember when they rescued you? There was somebody else with you, and I don’t mean Mrs. Briefs and her husband.”

“Y-Yeah… a h-h-h-human… R-R-R-Robert… h-h-he was t-t-t-taking m-me h-h-here, t-t-to C-Capsule C-C-Corp, w-w-w-when I… uh… d-d-do y-y-y-you know h-h-him?”

“[ _Robert…_ ]. “We’ve bumped into each other a coupla times, walking ‘round the city.”

Lanson sensed something amiss. Moines seemed to frown for all of two seconds before her response.

“[ _There must be more to it than that…_ ]. D-D-Do y-y-you know w-w-where h-h-he is?”

“[ _Beyond my reach…_ ]. Not really. I’ve only seen him from time to time. That’s about it.”

“[ _Yet you bothered to learn his name?_ ]. Ms. M-M-Moines… w-w-what c-c-can y-you tell m-me a-a-about Robert?”

“There’s nothing to tell. Better get back to work. See you around, pal.”

Moines rose and made to walk away, only to stop in her tracks soon after.

“W-W-Wait…" ( _Moines sighs_ ). "I… I g-g-gotta f-f-f-find him.”

( _Moines scowls_ ). “What for?”

Lanson almost flinched. He hadn’t accounted for such a curt response.

“[ _Robert means something to her. The question is..._ ]. H-He s-s-s-saved m-m-m-my l-l-l-l-life… I… I g-g-gotta th-thank him…” 

( _Moines rolls her eyes_ ). “[ _I don’t have time for this…_ ]. I gotta get back to work.”

“W-W-Wait...” ( _Lanson clears his throat_ ). “M-M-My n-n-n-name is L-L-Lanson. W-What’s y-y-y-y-yours?”

“Bess. Short for Besserat. Catch you later… Lanson.”

With that, the mechanic took her leave. Remembering Vegeta’s request, the warrior once known as Champa followed suit…

* * *

[1] Paraphrase of T.S. Eliot, “The Hollow Men,” V: 95-8 (1925).

[2] Possible V.A.s: Nichelle Nichols (Diane Maza, _Gargoyles_ , but with a more middle-aged, slight Jamaican accent), Virginia Watson (Vuruga Vuruga, _The Lion Guard_ ), Lynette Dupree (Ma Tembo, _The Lion Guard_ ), Loretta Devine (Hallie, _Doc McStuffins_ , but with a slightly deeper pitch. Again, slight Jamaican accent), Jo Marie Payton (Suga Mama, _The Proud Family_. Lather, rinse, repeat).

[3] “Eee-noo-neen-gahn.” From the Japanese 犬人間 ( _inu ningen_ ) = “dog human” (Source: Google Translate, RomajiDesu).

[4] Pronounced “neh-koh-neen-gahn”; from the Japanese 猫人間 ( _neko ningen_ ) = “cat human” (Source: Google Translate).

[5] Pronounced “toh-ree-neen-gahn”; from the Japanese 鳥人間 ( _tori ningen_ ) = “bird human” (Source: Google Translate).

[6] Pronounced “ree-oh-say-neen-gahn”; from the Japanese 両生類の人間 ( _ryōseirui no ningen_ ) = “amphibian human” (Source: Google Translate).

[7] Pronounced “ah-ho-roh-too-rahns”; from the Japanese アホロートル ( _ahorōtoru_ ) = “axolotl” (Source: Google Translate).

[8] Possible V.A’s: Ashley Schroeder (Iris, _Mega Man X4: The Death of Iris - Redub by Lucas Gilbertson (Original)_ [YouTube], Jennifer Stigile-Magallanes (Jean, _Lunar: Eternal Blue_ , _Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete_ ), Rhonda Gibson (Luna Noa, _Lunar: The Silver Star_ et al., albeit with a more Dark Althena-like tone), Janet Varney (Korra, _The Legend of Korra_ ), Jeannie Tirado (Byleth Eisner ~Female~, _Fire Emblem: Three Houses_ ).

[9] Possible V.A.’s: Jack McBrayer (Badili, _The Lion Guard_ ), Yuri Lowenthal (Superman/Clark Kent, _Legion of Superheroes_ et al.), Ashley Parker Angel (Alex Noa, _Lunar: The Silver Star_ , _Lunar: Silver Star Story_ ), Christian La Monte (Ignatz Victor, _Fire Emblem: Three Houses_ ).

[10] Possible V.A.’s: Tara L. Strong (Ben Tennyson, _Ben 10_ , but with a slightly lower, amphibious-like pitch, mechanical reverb), Zach T. Eisen (Aang, _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ / _The Legend of Aang_. Again, cybernetic, deeper, amphibious pitch, mechanical reverb), Stuart Allan (Robin / Damian Wayne, Various. As above, so below), Ben Giroux (Robin / Damian Wayne, _Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles_. See above), Alexander Martella (Robin / Jason Todd ~Child~, _Batman: Under the Red Hood_. Lather, rinse, repeat).

[11] Possible V.A.’s: Allegra Clark (Shamir Nevrand, _Fire Emblem: Three Houses_ ), Jennifer Stigile-Magallanes (Royce, _Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete_ , albeit with an early-twenties tone), Emunah Hauser (Mauri, _Lunar: Eternal Blue Complete_ , but with a slightly deeper pitch), Tara Strong (Raven, _Teen Titans_. Again, early-twenties tone).


End file.
